The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1887-02-05
PLAIN TALK TO STRIKERS.


PLAIN TALK TO STRIKERS.
The New York Herald of a recent date
thus advices the strikers; The Herald has
word to say to the workingmen, not only
those who are engaged in the present strike
in Hoboken and along the river front, but
those also who are interested lookcrs-on
and anxiousy hoping for good results.
Now, then, let us state the case to start
with: First. A few hundred mcn in Hobo
ken, coal handlers, wanted slight advance
of wages. We'll and good. 1t was refused
them. Perhaps that was bad policy. 1t is
hard in the dead winter to keep fuel in the
stove and something in the pot for the
children. The laborer earns all he gets,
and has "A right to fair play. Second. The
Old Dominion Company refused to advance
the rate per hour for loading their vessels,
and also the rate for extra work. The
laOorers naturally objected, became indg-
naut and struck. Granted that IL was not
quite wise in the Old Dominion to make
use of the fact that there is a great number
of idle men in the city in order to get labor
at the cheapest rate, and granted that the
hands justly thought themselves i'll treated
when the cut IN rates was made.
Now. then, gentlemen of the Knights of
labor, the question is: How can you best
protect the interests of these and other
wOrkiDgmen? OF course that is what you
are after and nothing else. We will not, If you
please, impute any bad motives to any one,
because it is not necessary. We are dis
cussing state of things, number of hard
facts, and have nothing TO do with this or
that individual. You have done very odd
thing. Because couple Of thousand men,
say, hare been forced out of employment,
rightly or wrongly, the remedy you propose
is to force 10000 or 10000 more out.
When you come to think Of it quietly you
must admit that your methods are peculiar.
We very much doubt whether Mr.. Henry
George would say that they are sound, and
of course you know that MI. PowderlY is
openly opposed TO them. Let us look again,
and here we ought to tread "A little carefully,
because the matter is important. Your
endeavor confesssdly is 10 make the whole
business community-that is to say, not
only the shipping lines with which you
have your grievance but the farmer in Wis
consin who can't get his grain to foreign
market and who may be ruined by delay,
and every other man who has any kind Of
goods whatever to be shipped-your en-
deayor and purpose are to make all these
innocent people suffer, perhaps to the edge
of bankruptcy, because some one over in
Hoboken refuses to advance the pay of the
coal handlers. Is that it2
Now, then, gentlemen, take the next
step. Practically you wish-and you are
bending all your efforts in that direction
just now-to paralyze the business Of this
whole community unless you can have your
own way. Come, come, isn't that about
what it means in the end? Think of it a
minute, and you will see that that is very
fair statement of the case. Well. isn't all
this bossism? And isn't bossism the one
evil which you have been talking against
from the beginning of your organization?
You hate bosses Of all kinds, and you are
right Bossism, whether in the shape Of
politics or of grasping railroad or oil mon
sply, is an unmitigated evil, and YOU can
reckon Oh the help of the Herald cry day
in the year TO throttle it. Still, if your OBJ
Ject be TO get rid Of The ether losses only
to take the vacated chairs yourselves, why
that is a serious affair. We have reckoncd
OF you TO stand by the Herald in a big
fight, and here you are declaring that if
You can't have your own way in Iloboien
then nobody in New York, no shipper, no
merchant, shall be able 10 conduct his
bIsil'ss, AL that You will fight until
everybody gives way TO your wishes. Is
that sound doctrine? YCu had better think
twice before you really adopt such prin-
eiplc.
Then there is arother and a very serious
matter that comes up right here. Every
laborer has right to set his own price on
his own work. Good. We are agreed. A
workman may demand his weight in gold
for a months labor if he chooses; it's no.
botS's business; and if he can get any one
to pay him his price he is in luck and we
congratulate him. But when one man
can't make terms with an employer DO you
think he has right to say that no one else
shall work on any other terms? That is to
say, is this free country for the laboring
class, and can man DO as lie pleases, or is
he restrained and compelled to do as he is
told? Don't you see that when one man
refuses given chance TO work at 50 day
and another man comes Np and says, IN be
mighty glad 10 do it at that price, the
second man has just as good right to do
the work as the first one has to say he won't
do itP And If by compulsion or intimids-
tion of any sort you restrain the second
man, are you not doing a very serious
thingP Don't bSPgst that indtYidual free
dom-freedom necessary to the welfare OF
the laborer-can be limited in your way
just as well as in some other ways, and in
trying to get your rights don't do the kind
of wrong that you profess to be fighting
against.
Gentlemen, We have been talking abou.
very important matter, and one which
goes Down to the Doots of things. You can't
afford to get on the wrong track. You
must be sure you are right oefore YOU 60
ahead. Progress isprogress, but some men
mike grave mistakes in accomplishing it.
Be careful not to be of that number.
"
BAXroN's Harrisburg letter appears on
the local page Of to-day's paper. Read